Just a few decades ago, the majority of cars were equipped with a manual gearbox. Automatic transmissions of the day were less popular, mainly due to their exorbitant prices and questionable reliability. Still, manufacturers continued to improve these areas and by the 1990’s, automatics became so common that drivers no longer saw the need to learn how to drive stick-shift cars.

In the current age of high-tech computerized cars, the art of driving a stick shift is simply dying. What most car shoppers don’t know, however, is that there are quite a few elements of motoring that you just can’t have with an auto transmission. If you’re currently in the market for a new/used car, there are some good reasons why you might want one with a manual transmission.

Stick Shifts are More Engaging

When driving a vehicle with a manual gearbox, you’ve no choice but to be wholly immersed into the process. You’re constantly thinking about what gear the car needs to be in, whether you’re taking off, driving around town or cruising down the highway. Since you have to make all these decisions, the car demands your undivided attention. As a result, you’ll always be observing the current traffic flow. With such an engaging driving process, your chances of losing sight of the mission at hand will be minimal.

Driving a Manual Means You’re Less Distracted

Many countries are currently trying to deal with the issue of drivers using their cellphones while in control of a vehicle. If statistics are anything to go by, this is almost as dangerous as driving under influence. And while many solutions have been proposed as measures against distracted driving as a whole, the problem still continues to grow.

So maybe it’s time more people thought about switching to stick-shift automobiles. The reasoning behind this is simple: driving a stick shift demands that one uses all their limbs in controlling the car. With your hands and legs fully occupied, you’re less tempted to shift your focus to your phone, food, drink, make-up, and anything else that leads to distracted driving.

Stick Shifts Help You Save Money

Opting for a car with a manual transmission will save you money in a couple of ways. First, cars with automatic transmissions are generally priced higher than their traditional counterparts. Depending on the make and model you’re considering, the difference is quite significant, especially when you get to the affordable end of the car spectrum.

Manual transmissions are also cheaper to repair. Since they’re far less complex, it’s usually easier to identify problems when they break down. And if you’re one of those motorists who know their way around automobiles, you could even fix it on your own.

Since not many people know how to drive a stick-shift, owning one means you’ll seldom be lending it to your friends. And this is important, especially if you have an awesome sports car or high-end model that almost everyone fancies driving. On a related note, stick shifts are less likely to get stolen when compared to their auto counterparts.

Truth be told, a manual transmission isn’t really suitable for all motorists. That said, there are some good reasons why car manufacturers haven’t ditched the option altogether, which is why you might want one for your next ride. Although stick shift cars are becoming harder to find, there are still a handful of models that offer this option.

There are some people who will get in a car accident or a fender bender and they will make the decision to not get it fixed right away. They may take the insurance money still, but if the problems are merely cosmetic or there are other issues that need to be dealt with more urgently, they’ll take the insurance money and do that. While some question how ethical that is, the question remains – is a slight fender bender really worth the time to go get it fixed.

The answer depends on a lot of things. If the impact was at a bit of a higher speed, then you may definitely want to get it checked out. The more speed and impact that there is, even in a fender bender, the more likely that it is that your frame is bent. If the frame of your vehicle is bent, then it’s a lot more likely that you’re going to end up in a situation where your car needs major repairs or (in the worst cases) where you may have to total it because it’s just beyond repair. But, you can’t see that on the outside, so an inspection is likely necessary.

Another case where you may want to use it for repairs depends on the exact location of the accident. Some parts of your car will “bounce back” better than others and some of those areas may have certain parts of your car hidden underneath. If you can’t get a door open, or the accident is near the tailpipe or gas tank, then it’s definitely worth at least looking at it to at least make sure that you’re going to be able to use the vehicle.

A full inspection is usually the best idea in order to ensure that you’re going to be able to use your car without a lot of problems. It can get really stressful if your car isn’t working as it should, so you want to make sure that it’s in top condition. Don’t let money or other things get in the way of the safety that you deserve to have while you’re driving the vehicle. Just get there and take care of it ASAP so that you can get back on the road and have the great time that you want to have with your car.

There are a lot of different things out there that you can do when it comes to taking care of your car, but many people will just overlook something that they consider to be minor, like a small dent or something that really doesn’t do anything about the performance or anything else with the car. The fact of the matter is, however, that there are a lot of people out there that will ignore dents and, in the end, they become a much bigger issue than they started as. Why? Here are a few reasons that your dent should be dealt with sooner than later.

Dents actually are a lot more susceptible to rust than other parts of your car. The dented in material is actually a lot more likely to rust because the water is going to get into those areas and make it difficult for it to get out again. The rust will start to develop and form around there and then it will be hard for you to make sure that it goes away in a way that is useful and that will extend the life of your car.

Dents can also hurt the overall integrity of your car as well. You may notice that it doesn’t stand up against the wear and tear of regular use like it did and, on top of that, it’s just not going to be able to get by with just a washing. Every time that you wash it and try to keep it looking good, you just aren’t going to get the results that you want or deserve.

And on top of all of that, dents just don’t look good! If you want your car to look great all of the time, then why would you want to leave dents in there in the first place? Find a way to get them out or work with a detailer that can help you out so that you don’t have to deal with looking at a vehicle that just takes away from its appearance with that issue in the first place.

How long do you wait to deal with a dent? Do you take care of it yourself or do you do a better job going to an auto body repair part? Do you feel like dents are an urgent thing to deal with?

Your windshield is a regular part of your vehicle and without it, you can’t drive around and you’re going to end up with a lot of problems that are going to make it much worse for you in the long run. However, you may have a windshield that is perfectly intact, but then one day it just falls apart and makes it hard for you to be able to get the repairs done. That being said, how can you know that it’s time for you to get your windshield fixed? And how can you make sure that you’re going to be fine with doing it?

One of the things that a local accident lawyer have to look at is how many cracks, dents, or chips are in your windshield to start with. If they seem to be something that is riddled all over your windshield, then it’s definitely time for you to get it repaired and/or replaced. However, if you only have one or two things that are in your windshield, it may not be something that you need to be concerned with for awhile yet. However, there may be a few other things that you’re going to need to look for.

If you hear any odd sounds coming from your windshield, then it may be a good idea for you to go ahead and get an auto glass repairperson to check it out. Why? Because the noises may be related to the glass shifting or cracking in areas that you can’t see. If that’s the case, then what is going to happen is that those cracks will just get worse until your windshield decides that it’s time to break. Ask about your auto glass during inspections too, and they can check that out for you to let you know what is going on underneath the surface.

Lastly, if there is any sort of large crack, you never want to leave that to chance. There are so many things that can go wrong and, even though you can hope that there aren’t any issues, you don’t want to risk an accident that might be caused by your windshield suddenly giving way. No matter how much or little that you may be dealing with, it’s never a bad idea for you to go out and get your windshield checked. It could prevent bigger issues and, on top of that, you could actually end up saving more money in the long run as well.

If you have been taking care of anything with your vehicle, then you know how vital that it is for you to get involved with a glass company that is going to take care of you and your needs. Auto glass is something that has to be done correctly the first time that you go ahead and do it, or you could end up spending a lot more cash than you would have in the other cases that you’re going to be looking at. On top of that, you may also end up in a situation where your glass breaks more easily.

One of the main things that you need to think about is getting a company that actually has experience. There are a lot of people out there that will try to tell you that they’re going to be able to take care of it for you without a lot of hassle, but in some cases, they don’t have the experience with the products that is going to make it so that it’s done right the first time. You can end up wasting a lot of money and time if you go with someone that doesn’t have experience.

Another mistake that you don’t want to make is that you get one of those “fix your own auto glass” kits. While some people can do it just fine, and they will go after these for the low prices, they may not be worth it to you at all. In many cases, you will end up with glass that is either set up wrong or that isn’t very strong, so the next time that you get hit by a rock or something else, it will just shatter and you will be in the same place that you were before you started. Who wants to deal with all of that?

While you can definitely learn how to do this, it is usually a much better idea for you to just go ahead and get things done right by a pro. Do you do your own auto glass repairs? Or do you call someone in that will take care of it for you in a way that will get you back on the road without a lot of problems? Why did you make that decision? What have you learned from doing it that way for yourself?

If you have been in a car accident and you are in need of auto repair, then you know how much of a pain that it can be in order to try and get everything in order in a way that is actually going to benefit you instead of leaving you in more debt in the long run. The issue is, insurance agencies can sometimes cause you a lot of problems because of the things that are going on behind the scenes. How can you make it go more quickly and get the most from your insurance?

One of the best things for you to do when you’re working with agencies is to make sure that you have all of the details that they ask for right in front of you. You don’t want to leave them calling you all of the time because they can’t find the information that they need to go through with your claim. Also make sure that you give them all of the contact information possible during your claim as well. Why? Because the faster that they can get a hold of you with questions, the faster your claim will go through and the less time it will take for you to get things done.

While you do have to be patient, it is also a good idea to make sure that you’re putting the pressure on as well. Don’t call them every hour of every day, but check in every 2 or 3 days in order to ensure that you are going in the right direction. That way, they know that you’re deeply interested in what is going on. If you’re in a situation where it is difficult for you to get the results or where it may seem that they are dilly-dallying, then it may be time for you to call an attorney in to help you complete the claim. Don’t jump on that too quickly, but keep it as an option if you need it.

What did you deal with the last time you had to file a claim for an accident? What types of things did you have to do in order to make sure that you got the money and such that was due to you? What tips do you have for other people who may be dealing with collision claims now or in the future? If you’re considering even writing a post about it, check this blog post with tips on how to find a good content writer.